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Created: July 27, 2003
Latest Update: March 17, 2005
jeannecurran@habermas.org
takata@uwp.edu

CRMJ/SOCA 352: Law and Social Change

You will be held accountable for purposes of grading for the readings and exercises listed here. There will be no "testing." That means that you will not have to live in anxious anticipation of what we will ask and how much you will have to know. Instead, we will provide weekly discussion questions, lectures, essays, and concepts we feel that you should know as a result of having taken this course. You will assure us of that learning and receive your grade for the questions and concepts about which you choose to write and talk with us. In addition you will find detailed explanations and examples on our grading policies in the first week's reading.

* * * * *

Week 10: Week of March 20, 2005

Topic: Semiotics and Latino/Latina Americans

Special Announcements:



• March 21- April 8 - Fall 2005 Academic Advising. See your advisor before April 8th.
• April 11th -- Fall 2005 registration begins.
• April 22nd, beginning of class -- ABSOLUTE FINAL DEADLINE
• May 6th - Last Day of Class
  

  Preparatory Readings:

• Arrigo. Social Justice/Criminal Justice, Chapter 7.
• Mann and Zatz. Images of Color, Images of Crime, Chapters 4 and 9 .
• Video: "Latino and African Americans: Friend or Foe?" (to be shown in class).
  
  

  Lecture related links:
  
  

• "They Ain't Us: Identity as an Anti-Norm"
  
• W.I. Thomas "Definition of the Situation
• Martha Minow. Making All the Difference: Exclusion, Inclusion and American Law. Check out this link Martha Minow on the Dear Habermas site.
  
  

  Concepts to be covered:
  

• semiotics
• "justice," justice, and JUSTICE
• media event
• sign
• "Cholo" style
• Chicano
  

  Discussion Questions:

  1. What is semiotics and justice? What is Manning trying to tell us?

  2. How does the Latino/Latina experience relate to semiotics and justice? Using this week's Latino/Latina American readings, provide an example of "justice," justice, and JUSTICE.

  3. According to Luis Rodriguez, why does violence make sense in today's society? (from M&Z). Do you agree or disagree with Rodriguez? Why.

  4. What movies and/or television programs have you seen recently in which Latino/a American stereotypes discussed in Mann & Zatz were depicted? Describe them. Were any of the images different, and if so, in what way? What inferences can you make if they have not changed? (from M&Z).

  5. Explain what is meant by the statement, "The color of skin is the color of crime." Do you agree with this statement? Why or why not? (from M&Z)
  
  

  Suggested Creative Measures:

  
  
  • Beyond examples discussed in class, examine how the mass media portrays Latinos/Latinas as discussed in the Arrigo chapter on semiotics.
  • Read one of the recommended books listed below on Latino/Latina Americans. Email me a brief book review.
  • Examine the stereotypes and the stereotyping of Latino/Latina Americans. Select on stereotype and trace how and why this stereotype has changed from the past to present day?
  • Trace either prime time television or movie images of Latino/Latina Americans from past to present.
  • Research one of the following Latino/Latina Americans: Reies Tijerina, Cesar Chavez or other prominent Latino/Latina American figures.
  • Trace the historical and contemporary origins of the Brown Beret.
  • Explore some of the political and economic strategies used by Latino/Latina Americans (i.e., boycotting, strikes).
  • Draft a list of the most important contributions of Latino/Latina Americans. Draft a list of the most famous Latino/Latina Americans. How do these two lists compare?
  • Examine the concept of "chicanismo."
    
    
  • Note: All creative measures: 1) Must relate to "law and social change." 2) Must be pre-approved. 3) Cannot be something that you are doing for another course. 4) Research cannot be 100% online (i.e., google, askjeeves). Must conduct library research using scholarly works, (not the popular press -- Time Magazine, Newsweek, Sports Illustrated).
  
  

  Recommended Readings:

  
  

  • Luis Rodriguez. Always Running: La Vida Loco, Gang Days in L.A..

  • Rudolfo Acuna. Occupied America: A History of the Chicanos.

  • Susan Berk-Seligson. Bilingual Courtroom.

  • Richard Rodriguez. Hunger of Memory.

  • Joan Moore. Going Down to the Barrio: Homeboys and Homegirls in Change.

  • Joan Moore. Homeboys: Gangs, Drugs, and Prison in the Barrios of Los Angeles.

  • Armando Rendon. (i think) The Chicano Manifesto .
    
    

  • Jurgen Habermas. Between Facts and Norms.
  • Martha Minow. Making All the Difference: Inclusion, Exclusion and American Law.

• Course Syllabus
  
  
• Links to the Sociology of Law Handbook readings
  -- Introduction
  -- Chapter 1, part 1
  -- Chapter 1, part 2
  -- Chapter 2

takata@uwp.edu